Washing machine

ABSTRACT

The washing machine has a number of functional plates detachably plugged to an inner wall surrounding a washing space of a basket of the washing machine. The inner wall also has a number spiral drainage ducts connected to a ring duct adjacent to a top opening of the basket. A number of through openings are configured in the ring duct. An agitation disc is detachably mounted on a bottom side of the basket. The washing machine has no dirt accumulation problem between inner and outer baskets. Its various components are easily detachable and the washing machine therefore is constantly maintained in a clean and sanitary state.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (a) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention is generally related to domestic washing machines.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Commercially available washing machines often have an inner basket (or drum) for holding clothes contained within an outer basket for holding water. Dirt is easily accumulated in the space between the baskets, breeding bacteria and foul matters, and cannot be removed unless the washing machine is dismantled and cleaned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a novel washing machine having a single basket for holding both clothes and water so that there is no dirt accumulation problem between the inner and outer baskets. The inner wall of the basket includes various easily detachable functional plates and spiral ducts so as to achieve both enhanced washing and spin-drying performances. The washing machine may be constantly maintained in a clean and sanitary state.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a top-view diagram showing a basket with functional plates installed according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a perspective diagram showing the basket of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is another top-view diagram showing the basket of FIG. 1 without functional plates.

FIG. 2B is a perspective diagram showing the basket of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram showing a washer plate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective diagram showing a wave plate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a top-view diagram showing an agitation disc according to an embodiment of the present invention in the basket of FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 5B is a schematic sectional-view diagram showing the agitation disc of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6A is another top-view diagram showing the agitation disc of FIG. 5A alone.

FIG. 6B is a schematic sectional-view diagram showing the agitation disc of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7A is a top-view diagram showing a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7B is a schematic sectional-view diagram showing the washing machine of FIG. 7A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a basket 1 and, inside the basket 1, a number of first and second plates 2 and 3, and an agitation disc 4. As shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 7A, and 7B, the basket 1 is for holding and washing clothes and is contained within a tub 5. The basket 1 has a cylindrical shape with a hollow space inside. The space has a top opening and the rotatable agitation disc 4 is disposed on a bottom side of the space. The agitation disc 4 is vertically mounted on an axle of a motor 6 outside the tub 5. The motor 6 engages the agitation disc 4 to spin which in turn drives water in the basket 1 to flow and circulate. Around the edge of a top opening of the tub 5, there is an anti-spray element 51 to prevent water from spraying out of the tub 5.

A number of spiral drainage ducts 11 are arranged in parallel on an inner wall of the basket 1. Each duct 11 is concaved into the inner wall in a radial direction for an appropriate depth which gradually increases as the duct 11 extended from bottom to top of the basket 1. Preferably, the ducts 11 are formed by stamping and are slanted at least 30 degrees. The ducts 11 are all connected to a ring duct 12 around the inner wall adjacent to the top opening of the basket 1. Inside the ring duct 2, there are a number of through openings 13.

A number of vertically through upper slots 14A and 14B are arranged alternately around the inner wall adjacent to the top opening above the ring duct 12. Corresponding to the upper slots 14A and 14B, a number of lower latches 16 are arranged around the inner wall adjacent to the bottom side of the basket 1. Each upper slot 14A and a corresponding lower latch 16 hold a first plate 2, and each upper slot 14B and a corresponding lower latch 16 hold a second plate 3.

The tub 5 may have various shapes with a basket space to house the basket 1. An outlet pipe 52 as shown in FIG. 7B is configured to a bottom side of the tub 5, connecting the basket space to outside of the tub 5. The motor 6 is disposed beneath the bottom side of the tub 5, and the axle of the motor 6 runs vertically through the bottom side and join to the agitation disc 4.

As shown in FIGS. 5A to 6B, the agitation disc 4 is detachably configured in the center on the bottom side of the washing space of the basket 1 and joined to the axle of the motor 6. The agitation disc 41 has a number of fins 41 inside and the fins 41 are arranged radially.

The first and second plates 2 and 3 jointly form a second inner wall to the basket 1, in addition to the basket 1's own inner wall. In other words, the first and second plates 2 and 3 together form a cylinder inside the basket 1. Between each first or second plate 2 or 3 and the basket 1's own inner wall, there is a gap for water to flow through. An end of a connecting duct 15 is aimed at a circumference of the agitation disc 4.

The first plates 2 include at least a washer plate 2A, at least a filtration plate 2B, and at least a spoiler plate 2C. Depending on the clothes washed, these plates may be mixed and disposed accordingly. In the present embodiment, two washer plates 2A are disposed oppositely, and a filtration plate 2B and a spoiler plate 2C are disposed between the washer plates 2A, respectively and oppositely.

As shown in FIG. 3, a washer plate 2A has a hollow washing space. There is first latch 25 at a top end corresponding to the upper slot 14A, and a first slot 23 at a bottom end corresponding to the lower latch 16 and connecting the inner space of the washer plate 2A. The first latch 25 and the first slot 23 are joined to the upper slot 14A and the lower latch 16, respectively, and the inner space of the washer plate 2A is connected to an end of the connecting duct 15 through the first slot 23. A number of ribs 21 are configured on a front side of the washer plate 2A. The front side also has an outlet slot 22 adjacent to the top end connecting the inner space of the washer plate 2A. After the washer plate 2A is joined to the basket 1, the ribs 21 and the outlet slot 22 face the washing space of the basket 1. In other words, after the two washer plates 2A are installed oppositely in the basket 1 and the agitation disc 4 is engaged to spin by the motor 6, the agitation disc 4 drives water to circulate. Through the push of the fins 41, some water enters the inner spaces of the washer plates 2A through connecting ducts 15 and then out of the outlet slots 22. The clothes, as they are spun by the water, rub against the ribs 21 to achieve greater cleaning effect.

On the other hand, a filtration plate 2B is one similar to the washer plate 2A described above that the filtration plate 2B also has an inner space, outlet slot, etc. The difference lies in that the filtration plate 2B has a filter at the outlet slot. As the agitation disc 4 drives water to circulate and, through the push of the fins 41, some water enters the inner spaces of the filtration plate 2B through the connecting duct 15 and then out of the outlet slot through the filter. Therefore, debris and particles are filtered.

The spoiler plate 2C is a plate similar to the washer and filtration plates 2A and 2B but with no inner space. There are bulges on a front side of the spoiler plate 2C so that, when the water is circulated by the agitation disc 4, the water is further disturbed by the spoiler plate 2C and the clothes are cleaned more thoroughly.

The second plates 3 include at least a wave plate 3A as shown in FIG. 4. As illustrated, there is second latch 34 at a top end corresponding to the upper slot 14B, and a second slot 33 at a bottom end corresponding to the lower latch 16. The second latch 34 and the second slot 33 are joined to the upper slot 14B and the lower latch 16, respectively, so that the wave plate 3A is fixed to the basket 1. A number of axially aligned prism elements 31 are configured on a front side of the wave plate 3A. A number of spin-dry holes 32 are configured on the prism elements 31, connecting the front side and a back side opposite to the front side of the wave plate 3A. A number of the wave plates 3A, washer plates 2A, filtration plates 2B, and spoiler plates 2C jointly form the second inner wall for the basket 1. When the agitation disc 4 circulates the water, the clothes, as they are spun by the water, rub against the prism elements 31 to achieve greater cleaning effect. After the washing cycle is over and the washing machine enters a spin-drying cycle, some water is pun out of the basket 1 through the spin-dry holes 32, and some water is collected by the spiral drainage ducts 11 and spun out of the basket 1 through the openings 13. The water outside the basket 1 is then drained out of tub 5 through the outlet pipe 52.

After the washing machine is operated for a period of time, debris and particles may be accumulated on the first and second plates 2 and 3. According to the present invention, the first and second plates 2 and 3 can be easily detached from the basket 1, cleaned, and then restored. As such, the washing machine may be constantly maintained in a clean and sanitary state.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the claims of the present invention. 

1. A washing machine, comprising a tub having a basket space and an outlet pipe on a bottom side connecting the basket space to outside of the tub; a motor beneath the bottom side of the tub; a basket housed in the basket space of the tub and having an outer wall engaged with the tub, the basket having a washing space with a top opening, an inner wall surrounding the washing space, and a plurality connecting ducts on a bottom side of the basket, where the inner wall has a plurality of spiral draining ducts. a ring duct, a plurality of upper slots, and a plurality of lower latches, each spiral drainage duct is concaved into the inner wall in a radial direction for an appropriate depth which gradually increases as the spiral drainage duct extended from bottom to top of the basket, the spiral drainage ducts are all connected to the ring duct, the ring duct circles around the inner wall adjacent to the top opening of the basket, there are a plurality of through openings inside the ring duct, the upper slots are arranged around the inner wall adjacent to the top opening above the ring duct, the lower latches are arranged around the inner wall adjacent to a bottom side of the basket, each corresponding to an upper slot; a plurality of first plates, each having a first latch at a top end corresponding to the upper slot, and a first slot at a bottom end corresponding to the lower latch, where each first plate is joined to the inner wall of the basket by connecting the first latch and first slot to corresponding upper slot and lower latch, respectively, and the bottom end of each first plate is connected to an end of one of the connecting ducts; a plurality of second plates, each having a second latch at a top end corresponding to the upper slot, and a second slot at a bottom end corresponding to the lower latch, where each second plate is joined to the inner wall of the basket by connecting the second latch and second slot to corresponding upper slot and lower latch, respectively; and an agitation disc mounted in the center on the bottom side of the basket, where the agitation disc is vertically mounted on an axle of the motor, the agitation disc has a plurality of radially arranged fins; another ends of the connecting ducts are adjacent to the circumference of the agitation disc; wherein the first plates comprise at least a washer plate, at least a filtration plate, and at least a spoiler plate; the washer plate has an inner space, a plurality of ribs on a front side of the washer plate, and an outlet slot on the front side adjacent to the top end connecting the inner space of the washer plate; and, after the washer plate is joined to the basket, the ribs and the outlet slot face the washing space of the basket; wherein the second plates comprises at least a wave plate; the wave plate has a plurality of axially aligned prism elements on a front side of the wave plate; and a plurality of spin-dry holes are configured on the prism elements, connecting the front side and a back side opposite to the front side of the wave plate.
 2. (canceled)
 3. (canceled)
 4. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the spiral drainage ducts are slanted for at least 30 degrees.
 5. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the spiral drainage ducts are formed by stamping.
 6. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the first and second plates are alternately positioned along the inner wall of the basket; and a gap is formed between each first or second plate and the inner wall of the basket. 